One of the highlights of a visit to Kerala is traveling on its backwaters - a boat cruise into an enchanted emerald dreamland! From Kerala’s coast, a vast network of lagoons, lakes, rivers and canals winds inward, fringed by coconut palms and rice-fields. Along the banks, on islands and little strips of cleared land, live villagers who have integrated the waterways into their simple lives. Constituting floating shops and taxis, boats carry almost everything from vegetables, textiles, coconuts and building materials, to children heading for waterside schools. And yet, the serene charm of the backwaters remains undisturbed enough to support a variety of birdlife on and by its canals and lakes.